Typewriter or like machine carriage track or guide



9 H. H. w. GEBAUER A 2,789,675

April 23, 1957 TYPEWRITER OR LIKE MACHINE CARRIAGE TRACK OR GUIDE 2 Sheets-Shut 1 Filed Oct. 26, 1955 H. H. W. GEBAUER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 23, 1957 TYPEWRITER OR LIKE MACHINE CARRIAGE TRACK OR GUIDE Filed Oct. 26, 1955 I rvrnwnrrnn on LIKE MACHINE CARRIAGE TRACK on some Herman Heinrich Waiter Gehauer, deceased, late of Weert, Netherlands, by Auguste Schneider, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, sole heir Application October 26, 1955, semi Moi-542,919

3 Claims. (Cl. 197-69) This invention relates to adjustable track or guide constructions for mounting the traveling carriages of typewriters or like machines, and more particularly to adjustable carriage mounting constructions of the kind ineluding relatively stationary and relatively movable track members, one of which is provided'with oppositely disposed outwardly facing inner track ways and the other of which is provided with oppositely disposed inwardly facing track ways extending parallel to and respectively adjacent to the ways of the first mentioned track. Constructions of this general character are known and have been embodied in commercial machines, for example the Royal portable typewriter, being shown for example in the patent to Hess No. 1,829,931 dated November 3, 1931. In constructions of this kind which have no provisions for adjusting the companion ways relatively towards or away from each other it is necessary for the parts to be manufactured and assembled to close tolerances, which is expensive. It previously has been proposed, in the patent to Hokanson 1,427,470 dated August 29, 1922, to provide a' construction enabling one of the track members to be adjusted relatively to the other by means of slots in one of the track members and associated locking or adjustment-fixing screws or fasteners. Such an arrangement is not conducive to facile adjust ment, since the locking screws first have to be loosened' before the track parts or ways can be adjusted, and the latter after having been adjusted must be held accurately in adjusted position until after the locking screws have been tightened. Moreover, in such a construction, the adjusting screws are so disposed that it is necessary for the carriage to be removed or at least partially displaced to render the locking screws accessible. I

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved carriage mounting track construction of the general class referred to provided with adjusting means which may be readily accessible and easily operated for varying the spacing between companion track ways and thus accurately and yet easily fixing the clearancesbetween the companion ways, both when making initial adjustments during assembling ofthe machine and when making adjustments to compensate for wear.

Another object of the invention isto provide a construction of the character stated in which at least one of the track ways is formed of resilient or yieldable material and in which means, such as a plurality of set screws, is provided for forcing one track way toward its companion way as is permitted by the yieldability of the one way.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary end elevation of a preferred form of mounting for the traveling carriage of a typewriter, constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Figure 1;

chine main frame and serving as a support for a rela-' tively stationary track B secured to the part A by screws 1, 1. A relatively movable track C is adapted ;to be fitted to the carriage proper (not shown), and in effect" may be considered as being part of the carriage.

The stationary track B comprises a central body part 2 flanked by two oppositely disposed, outwardly facing channel shaped inner ways 3, 3. The relatively movable track C is shown as being formed of two suitably joined or united members 4 and 5 providing a unitary track construction comprising a central body part, generally des-'- ignated 6. The central body part of the member 5 is formed with two oppositely disposed, inwardly facing channel shaped outer ways generally designated 7, 7 which extend parallel to and are located respectively ad-- jacent to the ways 3, 3 on the lower track B. ing between each of the channel shaped ways 7 and the central or body part 6 of the member 5 is a curved joiningi portion 8. Each way 7 is formed with a longitudinally bent section 9 which extends longitudinally between the adjacent joining portion 8 and the free edge of the way.

Flat portions 10 and 10 are disposed respectively on opposite sides of the longitudinally bent section 9 of each way 7.

A plurality of rolling elements, such as anti-friction balls 11, is disposed between the companionways 3 and 7 of each set of ways for mounting the upper track C for free travel on the relatively stationary track B for the performance of carriage letter Spacing and return movements. Generally considered, the disclosed arrangement of sets of companion channel shaped track ways and intervening anti-friction balls is of a known con struction.

It is important for the balls 11 to have close, but nonbinding fit with the ways 3 and 7 for maintaining proper typing alignment and ease of operation of the machine. In accordance with the present invention, means for effecting the adjustment required for achieving such an optimum fit preferably includes means for applying pressure against one of the ways of at least one set of companion ways 3, 7 for forcing it towards its companion way. In the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 the upper and relatively movable track C is provided with longitudinal flanges 12, 12 which respectively overhang the Ways 7, 7 of the track C. Set screws 13 having threaded engagement with the flanges 12, 12 are arranged to press upon the fiat portions 16', 10 of the ways 7, 7

to force the latter towards their companion ways 3, 3, The ways 7, 7 being of yieldable or resilient material such as sheet metal, opposethe action ofthe set screws 13, but yield when the latter are screwed, thus enabling a close adjustment of the clearances between the companion ways to be efifected with a minimum of difiiculty. If the set screws 13 are turned in too far, thus causing the balls 11 to bind in the ways 3, 7, correction of the adjustment may easily be effected by merely backing off the set screws, which will enable the resilience of the ways 7 to move the latter outwardly until the correct adjustment has been made.

In the modified construction shown in Figure 3, a lower or relatively stationary track B is shown as being mounted on the fixed frame part A, and an upper or relatively movable track C is shown as being secured by rivets 14 to a part 15 of the traveling carriage. I

The lower track B includes a central body part 16 flanked by two oppositely disposed channel shaped inner p vi- A??? 531, 9

Interven- 1 ways generally designated 17, 17. The upper .or relatively movable track C is formed at its flanks with two oppositely disposed inwardly facing channel shaped outer ways 18, 18. Each of the ways 17 on the lower track B merges with the central body portion 16 through a curved joining portion 19, and each way 17 has a longitudinally extending bent section 20 on opposite sides of which are fiat portions 21 and 21'. Between the ways 17 and 18 of each pair of companion ways is aplurality of anti-friction balls 22.

For adjusting the spaces or clearances between the ways 17 and 18, set screws 23 have threaded engagement with the central portion of the fixed track B and have their ends in engagement with the ways 17 immediately adjacent to the bent sections 20. By turning the set screws 23 inwardly the ways are forced towards their companion ways 13, as is permitted by the yieldability or resilienceof the curved joining portions 19.

The modification shown in Figure 4 is generally similar to the construction shown in Figure 1 with the except ion that the member 6 of the relatively movable track C is formed with flanges 12', 12 which overhang the associated ways 7, 7 more decidedly than the flanges 12 and 12 in Figure 1, the flanges 12, 12 extending substantially vertically and below the longitudinally bent sections 9, 9 of the associated ways 7, 7. With this arrangement, the set screws 13, 13 shown in Figure 4 extend substantially horizontally and have their engagement with the longitudinally bent sections 9, 9 of the ways 7, 7. Otherwise the parts are constructed and associated with one another similarly to the parts shown in Figure 1, and accordingly are designated by reference characters the same as those designating the corresponding parts shown in Figure 1. v

In each of the illustrated embodiments of the invention, application of pressure against at least one of the track ways is eifected for forcing it towards its companion way to reduce the clearance between the ways. While greater flexibility of adjustment can be obtained by providing for the adjustment of one of the ways of each pair of ways, it will be apparent that in many cases the required overall adjustment can be efiected by adjusting one of the ways of any one pair of companion ways with reference to its companion way.

The constructions shown embody the invention in preferred forms, but it is intended that the disclosure be illustrative rather than definitive. The invention is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for mounting the traveling carriage of a typewriter or like machine comprising a relatively stationary track; a relatively movable track, one of said tracks having oppositely disposed outwardly facing channel shaped inner ways and the other of said tracks having oppositely disposed inwardly facing channel shaped outer ways extending parallel to and respectively adjacent to the ways of said one of said tracks, whereby there are provided two sets of companion ways, one of said tracks being formed of resilient sheet metal and comprising abody part with which one of said ways is formed integrally with :a curved joining. portion intervening between said body part and said one of said ways, said one of said Ways having a section bent longitudinally between said joining portion and the free longitudinal edge of said one of said ways to give the latter its channel shape; antifriction balls between the companion ways of said sets of ways; and set screw means having threaded connection with said body part and engaging said one of said ways for forcing it towards its companion way.

2. Means for mounting the traveling carriage of a typewriter or like machine comprising a relatively stationary track; a relatively movable track, one of said tracks having oppositely disposed outwardly facing channel shaped inner ways and the other of said tracks having oppositely disposedinwardly facing channel shaped outer ways extending parallel to and respectively adjacent to the ways of said one of said tracks, whereby there are provided two sets of companion ways, one of said tracks beingformed of resilient sheet metal and comprising a body partwith which one of said ways is formed integrally with acurved joining portion intervening between said body part and said one of said ways, said one of said ways having a section bent longitudinally between. said joining portion and the free longitudinal edge of said one of said ways to give the latter its channel shape; anti-friction balls between the companion ways ofsaid sets of ways; and set screw means having threaded connection with said body part and engaging said bent section for forcing said one of said ways towards its companion way.

3. Means for mounting the traveling carriage of a typewriter or like machine comprising a relatively stationary track; a relatively movable track, one of said tracks having oppositely disposed outwardly facing channelshaped inner ways and the other of said tracks having oppositely disposed- -inwardly facing channel shaped outer ways extending parallel to and respectively adjacent to the ways of said one of said tracks, whereby there are provided two sets of companion ways, one of said tracks being formed of resilient sheet metal and comprising a'body ,part with which one of said ways is formed integrally with a curved joining portion intervening between said body part and said one of said ways, saidoneof said ways having a section bent longitudinally between said joining portion and the free longitudinal edge of said one of-said ways to give the latter its channel shape, there being a flat part on each side of said bent section; anti-friction balls between the companion ways of said sets of ways; and set screw means having threaded connection with said body part and engaging said one of said fiat parts'for forcing said one of said Ways towards its companion way.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,495,301 Harmon May 27, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS 254,799 Great Britain July 9, 1926 

